Hassen Fantaw Adem and his wife Zuriyash Yessuf from Dessie Zuria with their first potato harvest: “It was unthinkable to harvest 600Kgs of potato from 50Kg of seeds in a small plot of land as the drought was challenging to move out for migration”. Project: LIVESTOCK CREDIT REVOLVING FUND SCHEME AND POTATO EXPANDING PROJECT, DESSIE ZURIA, ETHIOPIA Proposal Submitted to: Givewell Poverty Grant On behalf of Concern: ETHIOPIA Concern US Contact: Marny McCaughan Foundations Officer Concern Worldwide, U.S. 332 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 630 Chicago, IL 60604 Tel : 312.431.8400 Fax : 312.431.8830 [email protected] INTRODUCTION Concern Ethiopia Concern’s first engagement in Ethiopia was in 1973 when it responded to the acute food crisis. Since 1984, Concern has been continuously working in Ethiopia. Concern Ethiopia has an almost 30-year service in emergency and development related work. The humanitarian, rehabilitation and development activities carried out during this period have focused on Amhara Region, SNNPR and Addis Ababa in the area of emergency response, food security, HIV, education, health and nutrition and GBV. Concern has developed a good reputation in the area and its response has saved thousands of lives both in the southern and northern part of the country. The various interventions on rehabilitation and long-term development addressed the most affected communities and have helped to alleviate the level of poverty. Concern Ethiopia currently has approximately 336 employees of which about 124 are emergency staff. National Staff makes up 98% percent of the employees, and there are only five expatriate staff in Concern Ethiopia. DESCRIPTION OF INTEREST Program Overview Dessie Zuria (DZ) is one of the 20 Woredas (equivalent to a district) in the Southern Wollo Zone in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. The population of the Woreda is about 205,700 according to the Woreda Council 2006 brochure. The altitude of the Woreda ranges from 1,800 to 3,500 m.a.s.l and is characterised by a rugged and undulating topography (steep slopes, hills, and plains). It is categorized into four agro-ecological zones, namely, higher highlands ( wirch ) 32%, highlands ( dega ) 25%, midlands ( woina dega ) 43%, and lowlands ( kola ). The Dessie Zuria livelihoods program area where Concern Ethiopia works consists of 11 the most vulnerable Kebeles (lowest administrative unit), which have been identified through a livelihoods analysis carried out by Concern Ethiopia by 2006 1. Total population of the Kebeles is 72,144 people in 14,545 households. Out of the total population in the area, 64,024 people or 89% of the population is living in the higher highland ecological zone where the climate is fragile due to various factors, such as: low crop productivity, uneven distribution of rainfall, poor animal health, backwards agricultural practices, land degradation high population pressure, and frosts. Other than agriculture, livestock is the other mainstay sector for the people in the area. However the productivity of this sector has deteriorated due to many reasons. High prevalence of animal diseases is a major problem, while poor feeding practices, and limited vet services, are also aggravating factors reducing the productivity in the livestock sector. To address the socio-economic problems previously indicated, and to improve the economic situation at a household level in the program area Concern Ethiopia has been implementing, an integrated livelihoods program was developed to focus on Agricultural Diversification and Community Development. Since 2007 Concern Ethiopia’s community development workers’ experience in Dessie Zuria with this kind of intervention, has been that all tested varieties of improved potatoes can yield about 20Mt per hectare within a four month period. For this reason, potatoes have been found as the best crop to be expanded to more farmers due to its drought resistance nature, high productivity, as well as a cash and food source for targeted families. Sheep rearing is the other major livelihoods interventions for this area. The restocking rate of small ruminants like sheep is higher than the large animals and beneficiaries can transfer their stock to a larger animal depending on their need and holding capacity. Another benefit of this intervention is that resources allocated for this revolving scheme have served additional targeted households in its established circulation system. 1Concern Ethiopia Sustainable Livelihoods Analysis Dessie Zuria Wollo Zone of Amhara Region , June 2006 2 An additional important activity in the proposed intervention is the introduction of vet services through Community-based animal health workers. Concern Ethiopia has experience in this kind of intervention and currently has trained 16 Community-based Animal Health Workers who are operating in Dessie Zuria in the Amhara Region livelihoods program. These Para-Vets are successfully providing animal health services to 9,402 households. Additionally, more than 47,010 heads of cattle can easily get basic medical treatments through the trained Para-vets. Some of the types of treatment that the Para-vets will be trained in are: treatment of internal parasites, treatment of external parasites, dehorning, castrations, dressing and providing primary education on animal health care to the local community. Some of the most notable improvements in Dessie Zuria have been a 10% decrease in livestock death and the reduction of time needed to seek for veterinary services. There has also been an ease in transportation issues as the Para-vets, due to their proximity, are willing to go to the household to provide services. This intervention will also have positive effects in the proposed project areas as 61.8% of households reported decrease in their livestock, the main cause for the livestock loss reported was disease. 2 To further complement the activities of the livestock credit revolving fund scheme there will be some activities focused on forage and fodder development. Concern Ethiopia has been implementing this kind of intervention in the program areas in Dessie Zuria. The rationale for this kind of intervention relies on the fact that the agriculture sector in that specific locality as well as in most of Ethiopia is characterised by mixed farming, crop growing and livestock rearing. Long years of poor management of grazing lands and the population pressure which has changed enormously from decade to decade have adversely affected the sources of animal feed. Currently, income from the livestock sector has declined due to difficulties with animal feed and animal health. One of the observations in this area has been that many of the animal health problems are aggravated by poor animal feed. This issue was also identified as a priority problem by the community during the planning phase of the Kalu food security program, as well as in the Dessie Zuria livelihoods program development phases. Concern Ethiopia proposes a “Livestock Credit Revolving Fund Scheme and a Potato Expansion Program,” which will aim to economically empower 12,770 families, increasing their income by 50% and above, and 85% of allocated funds will be transferred in to the target beneficiaries to be parts of their wealth. The estimated cost is about US $16 per family. The livelihoods of the target beneficiaries are expected be improved by providing the families with highland tolerant improved varieties of potato tuber. Once the households have received the improved tubers, they will be instructed in their use by introducing best practices that have been experimented by the Concern Dessie Zuria livelihoods program since 2007. A second intervention will consist of setting up access to livestock credit through a revolving fund scheme through existing, community-based savings and credits cooperatives and multipurpose farmers service cooperatives already established in the area. The top five activities accomplished in 2008 in the Dessie Zuria Livelihood program: 1. Diversification of agricultural product through introducing of highland tolerant fruit trees, potatoes, and improving irrigation practices. These inputs were provided to improve agricultural productivity in the areas of crop and vegetable promotion and animal health and fodder development, and they improved the income of 1,794 women and 1,534 men. 2. Livestock development and increasing production from the sector including a livestock credit scheme, fodder development and expansion of animal health services. A total of 2,213 households (,1682 female and 513 male households) have accessed livestock credit services through a revolving fund approach, since inception. 3. Water supply schemes which improved the access to potable water supplies for rural communities. 2,160 people, the majority of them women, gained access potable water. Water scheme availability also improved for around 1,212 domestic animals. 2 Concern Ethiopia, Report in the Baseline Survey DZLHP , December 2007 3 4. Natural resource conservation activities, through the community-based enclosure site organization of hill sides with different conservation structures. 18.9 kms of hillside terrace and 1.5 kms of check dams were constructed. 660 people (46.1% female) participated in the natural resources activities. 5. Capacity building interventions for local government and community organizations for further project management and technical support. 39 women and 52 men from relevant government departments and community leaders were trained on team building, leadership,